COUNCIL chiefs are poised to give away an historic theatre building as part of a major £8 million facelift scheme.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council wants to plough £2.15 million into improving the Mitchell Memorial Youth Arts Centre, in Hanley, by 2010.

The council has also been offered a grant of almost £2 million from the Big Lottery Fund and £285,200 from the Coalfield Regeneration Trust to help pay for the refurbishment. But the city must hand ownership of the building, which has been valued at almost £3.8 million, over to a new community trust to unlock the lottery funding.

The money will refurbish the 1950s arts centre and adjoining Cartwright House, create two more rehearsal rooms and eight workspaces, and install new hospitality facilities.

The centre will provide a base for 46 voluntary groups, and is expected to attract at least 31,000 visitors a year.

The plans will be put to the full city council on Thursday.

Councillor Peter Kent-Baguley, chairman of the council's Mitchell Memorial Youth Centre Committee, said: "The centre plays an enormously important part in the cultural life of Stoke-on-Trent."